Change is Good, Sometimes
by sweetsouthernsarcasm
Summary: Something has changed between Katara and Zuko, but Katara doesn't exactly know what. For Zutara week 2010, prompt #2.


**For Zutara week!**

**Prompt: Change**

**And I feel like this is so cliché, so forgive its horribleness! **

Something had changed between her and Zuko ever since they had gone to find the Southern Raiders. It was more than the fact that she haad forgiven him, too. Katara didn't know exactly what it was, just that it confused her. She kept thinking about it as she practiced.

"Hey there."

"Oh!" She started. "h-hey, Zuko. You scared me," she blushed. "Do you need anything?"

"Just reminding you that we both have cooking duty tonight," he replied. "But a spar would be nice, too. Aang wanted to practice earth bending today. I overheard Toph telling him that she might start teaching him sand bending."

"Sure. I haven't really sparred with anybody for awhile, with Aang practicing firebending so much; and Toph hasn't really wanted to, either."

And the battle began. Katara froze him in an ice slide; he melted through it and shot an arrow of fire that turned into a fire lasso that began to wrap around he midsection. She quickly summoned a large amount of water and wrapped herself in it; the fire lasso simply heated the water instead of burning her. She cartwheel closer to Zuko, still enveloped in the water, then sent he water in a powerful jet towards him. H created a great wall of fire in front of him, turning the water into vapor. Summoned more water from the ocean, freeing it into daggers.

Zuko smirked. "You're stealing my move, you know that?"

"Well, frankly, I don't dive a damn," she replied. They continued to spar; now hand-to-hand, until interrupted by Sokka.

"What are you guys fighting about now? For the sake of Tu and La, just get along!"

"We we just sparring, Sokka," Katara panted.

"And weren't you supposed to be searching for stuff for supper? Surely you can't already be done?" Zuko added, earning a dirty look from Sokka.

"Whatever," he replied, huffing out a great sigh.

"Jeeze, Sokka, you sound like Needles," Katara chided. "You eat the most out of the whole group, we could make you search all the time." Sokka just stuck his tongue out at her and walked away, grumbling.

"Who is Needles?"

"It's Toph's nick name for Mai," she said feeling self conscious all of a sudden. "I forgot she was your girl…"

"Don't worry, it was a little funny," Zuko grinned. Katara, surprised, grinned back.

"I like you Zuko," she blurted out, all of a sudden. "You know, as a friend. I know it was pretty much implied after I forgave you, but I never really told you, you know?" she said in a rush, blushing as she looked at the surprised look on his face. He blushed, too, and looked slightly disappointed, although Katara didn't know why. He would never like her as more than a friend, right? So that couldn't be why he looked disappointed. It just couldn't. An awkward silence settled between them, smothering them like someone had shoved a pillow over their airways.

"Wow, you can almost feel the awkward," Toph announced, walking up to them. "And I was wondering where you two were. Hope you weren't being naughty."

"Toph! And I weren't you and Aang training?" Katara exclaimed, blushing.

"What? I was joking, Katara. And Zuko, I can feel your heart beating faster. Not thinking bad thoughts, are you? And we're done," she answered. Zuko turned bright red, his face looking something like a giant tomato.

"Well Toph, I _am _a teenage guy. You shouldn't imply things like that if you don't like the idea of me thinking like that," he grinned, looking slightly sheepish. After that, he sauntered away.

"His butt looks good, doesn't it?' Toph asked dreamily, once he was out of earshot.

"Yeah," Katara agreed, blushing slightly.

"Well, thanks for telling me, since I can't see." She too, walked away, leaving Katara gaping, looking like a fish out of water. _Well, at least I know what's changed between me and Zuko now_, Katara finally thought, closing her mouth and walking back to the house, looking forwards to cooking duty much more now than she was before.


End file.
